Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Cool links

Hey everybody,

I just thought I would share some very cool links I found with the message that just because you need to know your own limitations. Those shouldn't stop you from trying new adventures. Keep in mind I have not used nor do I endorse either of these companies. I am just stoked that there are options for areas I thought were to difficult to travel. With that said, enjoy the sites...

www.accessible-asia.com
www.rollontravel.com
www.rollingrains.com

Happy Holidays!!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Few More Kauai Pictures



Top Picture: Me at Wiamea Canyon known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Bottom Picture: Poipu Beach.

Winter makes me want to go.......


Well my friends. I am back after a lengthy hiatus, and as I am sure you are all well aware, winter is coming. This always makes me think about going somewhere really warm. Hawaii comes to mind. I went to the beautiful garden island of Kauai 2 years ago and I found that, despite what some said, the island was fairly acccessible.

I started planning the trip by visiting with my travel agent to ask what hotels were might have good facilities, and be wheelchair accessible. Also what city we would like to stay in. This is important because it is where you will be leaving in the morning and coming back to at night. We chose to stay in Lihue which is the largest city and most centrally located city on the island. It is very accessible and has the hospital, community college, airport, and shopping centers.

Once I had settled on the accomodations and location, I then started planning the rest of the trip. I rented a nice convertable so we could get around the island. If you call far enough in advance you can get a car with hand controls.There are many great places to check out and a ton of great beaches that must be visited. There is a great thing about Hawaii's public beaches. Most of them have sand wheelchairs on loan from the county. Also talk with the life guards because nobody knows the beaches better than the people who work at them. I met some very nice life guards while there and got some great dining suggestions and where the snorkeling was particularly good that day so definately ask questions and make friends. You can never have enough friends in tropical places (more couches to crash on for quick escapes).

Finally (and this will seem like planning backwards) I booked my flight. Now you can get a direct flight from Alaska Airlines straight to Kauai. But when I went you had to fly to Honolulu and transfer. I will let you in on a secret though, don't wait for the disabled shuttle if you can walk short distances. The inter island flight gates are not that far from the international gates. And to be real honest you could die waiting for a shuttle. There really is a difference in time (island compared to the rest of the world). I would recommend flying Hawaian Air their seats are bigger and the service was great.

Well I am going to stop daydreaming and go get my puppy some food. Stay warm and keep traveling.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Pack up your troubles...

Hello my travel hungry companions!! I wanted to continue along the lines of my last post and talk a little about packing. I know, I know. How hard is it to stuff clothing in a suitcase and go? Well my fellow special needers, if you are like me it are not that simple. There are variables to consider like medications. Unique medical necessities like catheters and the occasional traveling shower bench. This stuff takes some thinking about.
Lets start with the stuff you want to carry on. I know with the added fee of checked baggage you want to carry on everything, but on long trips that is not always an option. So you want to keep with you what I call the “essentials”. You know the stuff that you can’t just run into your local department store to replace. Medication is to be kept in its original bottles (or pharmacy packed medi-set with labels) and in your carry on. DO NOT CHECK THIS. I really cannot stress this enough. If it is something that your doctor says you need on a schedule don’t trust an airline. You should treat it like it is gold or diamonds. Keep it with you. I pack mine in a clear Ziploc baggy so that when you go through security they can look at it but not mess them up or have the vials flying all over the place.
For daily medical supplies like cathaters, leg bags, gloves, testing strips, etc. I personally try to pack this as small as possible. Take it out of unnecessary boxes or other packaging. Get your pharmacy to print you labels and place them in sipper baggies and squeeze the air out of them. Rubberband together your cathetars and store them in a side pocket so you have more room in the main compartment. Alot of this is just about using common sense. Basically you are trying to keep it as light and essential as possible.
My last big tip is this. If you have a big trip comming up contact the hotel in advance to see if you can have items shipped to the hotel you will be staying at. I have had great sucess with this when traveling and if you explain yopur situation most good hotels will assist you with what they will need on the addressing slip (ie guest name, room #, attention to). These folks want you to have a good time and most importantly give their hotels good word of mouth.

That is another post from your travel companion. I have more good posts on the way so keep coming back. Also if you have any questions or comments email them to me at wheelchairsiteseer@yahoo.com

More to come,

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

You can fly, you can fly, you can flyyyyyyyyyy!!

Hello all. As the title of suggest this will be about flying. Despite all of the problems that the media is reporting I just love to fly on a trip. Smaller planes (MD-80s), larger jets (787s). There is just no more of an adventure to me than flying. I know what you are saying to yourself “flying an adventure??” Well for someone in a wheelchair it is a real adventure. I have been on the tarmac in an aisle chair (a very narrow seat that can be wheeled down the plane aisle to your assigned seat) waiting to use the funky little ramp to the plane with my wife beside me holding our wedding clothes (Indiana Jones eat your heart out). I get to see behind the scenes of airports and see what few travelers get to see. So the advice I am about to give you is road tested (air tested in this case).

Aisle Wheelchair
Standard Airline Isle Chair
First off, the airline employees don’t deal with mobility impared people as much as you might think. So cut them some slack -- they are doing their best. When booking your flight let them know you have a mobility impairment and what they can do to help (this can be done either through the airline directly or through your travel agent). Plan plenty of time between connecting flights, I have more than once run across an entire airport to make a connection (it sucks so learn from my mistakes). I personally try to book a middle and window seat so that if there is another person in our row (gate check and with the airlines booking practices there will be) they will not have to crawl over me.

Get there really early. Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you get a pass on security. You will be pulled aside and patted down, shoes and chair checked with their sniffer machine, etc. Be straight forward with the NTSB person. If you have a legbag or colostomy bag let them know about it so they don’t dislodge or accidentally kink something. Again they don’t know about these things so again be patient with them.

Once you are past the security gates check in with your airline immediately. This is just good practice for anyone but especially for someone with special needs. Get that knocked out early so you don’t have to scramble at the last minute. The gate check people will get you set with your boarding passes and gate check tags. (you will have to gate check your wheelchair, walker, stroller, anything that will not fit in the bins).

Then try to relax. Get a magazine, book, portable DVD player and wait until boarding. It will be a while so get as comfortable as you can.

When you are boarded you will be one of the first people to get on the plane (this is nice until you get to your destination where you will be the last one off so no reason to jump up when you land). Once aboard flight attendants will talk with you about emergency exits, ask if you need anything specific (pillows, blankets) and then be on their merry way to deal with other passengers. This would be the time to situate yourself and get ready for your flight. Even though you will not be the first to get off you will need to be ready when they come to get you. You also might have to remind them that you will need assistance (especially on long flights where difficult people can make even the most viligiant flight attendant forget things).

Also try to remember you are (hopefully) on vacation so don't let someone's bad attitude get it off to a bad start.

Monday, September 8, 2008

The Day Trip

I know that you are all looking at the title and saying to yourselves has he gone nuts? One month away from his blog and all he has for us is "The Day Trip"? Well yes, that is exactly what I have for you.


I know that we all love the expansive, costly trip that comes around once or twice a year (if we are fortunate). However the real sanity saver is the weekend getaway to Port Angeles, or the day trip to Seattle or Portland to visit the art museum or to catch a show (or shopping for those who tend to hit the department store flagships). These can be the little holidays that we need to keep our relationships healthy, and us from having to be on anti depressants (when we really don't need them).


My wife and I recently had 2 such weekends where we let our inner geeks out to play. You see she is a bit of a book nut and I am a HUGE comic book and movie freak. So one weekend we went "movie hunting" and the next week we went to every bookstore and comic shop in a 75 mile radius. For those who don't know what I mean, "movie hunting" is when you make a list of movies that you're looking for, and the price you want to pay for them. Then you hit every big chain video store previously viewed rack (and anywhere else that you can find a decent copy of the movie for a discount) until your list is mostly crossed out. It's only partly about the movies, and is more about the drive to Lynden, or Anacortes (we live in NW Washington state these are my examples) and the great ice cream that you got at the farmers market, or that yummy lunch you had at that quaint drive-in restaurant, and it might be that you found some great bargains too.


What does this have to do with accessible travel? Here it is, every now and then folks with a disability crave to do what EVERYONE ELSE is doing. Something crazy, and maybe not average but silly. I love movies and books and comics. Let's make a real memory out of finding them. If your mobility impared person happens to be a kid this will give him or her a great story to share with their friends (and kids when they get older). Travel (even accessible travel) is not always about getting from point A to point B, or can I get into the bathroom. It is about the memories that you share with friends and loved ones (and even a little doughnut muncher canine). Sometimes family time needs to be on 4 wheels in search of every place that gives the dog a treat.


This is what I have learned on my month away from the PC. After all it was the great philosopher Ferris Bueller who said "life moves fast, if you don't look around you might miss something". Truer words were never spoken.

Back soon with more good vibes.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Rental cars

Hello all. Yes I know this is 2 posts in 2 days. I am trying to do a little more to help get information out there to you. This time I wanted to quickly talk about rental cars. Most all major rental car companies (Hertz, Avis, ETC.) have vehicles that are equipped with hand controls and possibly a steering knob. You do have to make arrangements to get one delivered to your rental location aproximately (a minimum of) three days although I would suggest more time just to make sure that things get done correctly. I have rented a Crystler Seabring, A Lebaron, and a Ford Focus and have been told that smaller or larger cars can be outfitted with the modifications with advanced notice. This is great for vacation or when/if you have car troubles. Also it can be nice to drive something different every now and then (I have had nothing but vans until last year when I bought a Honda Element so being in a car was great!!).

Now if you are looking for a vehicle with a wheelchair lift this will require more digging on your or your travel agents part. Those can be available by checking with a dealer that installs hand controls or checking with a medical equipment rental company in your vacationing area. I have personally checked with Absolute Mobility in Washington State and for about $150.00 a day (or they have weekly rates too) you can rent a van equipped with a lift and hand controls or other configurations. You will just have to do a little checking in the area, but if you are motivated enough you will get results.

Just remember this as your best practice when traveling. If you don't ask questions you will never find answers

That's todays tip, more to come.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Your Friendly Neighborhood Travel Agent



So you have seen all of the travel commercials and you believe that you can accessibly travel without an agent. Well you sure can. However you will not just be logging on to the travel sites and punching in your price and viola. You my dear traveler will be calling the 800 number located on the site and talking to their travel experts (just a warning, its not Shatner). Plus you will probably not be saving much if anything. The major problem is that we the disabled are a captive audience. We pay more for LOTS of things, you just have to get that through your head.

That being said, there are deals out there with discount travel agencies. I myself have been a member of AAA for their travel deals (although I hear Costco is good too). I went into my local AAA office and met with 2 very nice and extremely helpful ladies (Mary and Theresa). I explained my limitations, needs, and wants with my various vacations. I have booked Disney packages IE:resort stays and cruises, boutique hotels, and other air+hotel+transportation all while getting the AAA discount AND that doesn't count the many times I have used them for auto stuff. My opinion get a membership, but I have gone on a tangent.

Mary and Theresa have many contacts within the travel world that we (the public) do not have. They also have the luxury of being able to surf websites, talk to booking companies, and have (through their AAA purchasing power) purchased blocks of rooms and tickets that I as one person do not. They also have clients like myself who if questions should arise, they can call. They also travel extensively themselves so they may be more attune accessibility outside the United States.
Sure you CAN book a vacation without an agent. You can also fix your car and plumbing without a mechanic or plumber. Why place yourself in the position of many phone calls and emails with someone who may or may not know exactly what you need when there are trained professionals that can advocate for you so you can enjoy your vacation without being exhausted.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Excuse me. Where is your restroom?

Finding a restroom that is accessible and clean is a difficult thing to do when you are on vacation. At times a good restroom is worth its weight in gold. This isn't just the case for the disabled. I have many friends who will not use a facility that is "dodgy". A great restroom is spacious and clean with all the amenities that should be there. I rarely stop off at a gas station to use the bathroom because most are something right out of a horror movie.

When traveling be mindful of your surroundings. I personally stop at a Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Macys when looking for an impeccably clean restroom. They are almost always light and clean with nice big stalls. My second tier would be a nicer movie theater, or in a pinch a McDonalds (which I used quite a bit on my family road trip to Disneyland).

So how about when you are looking for a hotel/motel room for the night? I would say that most chain hotels will have a disabled access room. These usually provide a shower bench and a larger bathroom. However they do NOT always provide a shower bench which then makes you try some creative alternatives (I personally have used a plastic patio chair). Also don't expect these to be the shower benches that you have at home (I had one that was like a cafeteria lunch tray, and several that had no backs that were about a foot off the floor). You might very well need assistance in and out of the tub (one of my road trip experiences had the accessible room with a bath tub with grab bars but the tub was so deep they were not much help). Be careful and safe when transferring, but you may have to get creative.

In the nicer rooms that I have been in they had great facilities. The toilets were 17 inches or higher off the floor with grab bars everywhere, built in shower benches with hand held showers, even lower soap holders.

The plain fact is you need to ask questions specific to your disability when booking a room. If you need a shower bench to shower -- ask. Need a raised toilet (17" or ADA coded) -- ask if they have one.

Finally, if you are planning a trip across the pond remember to ask if their rooms (specifically the restrooms) are modified. If you ask if they are accessible they may consider a ground floor room to be what you are looking for. If you ask for a modified room, they will know you mean outfitted with the "Goodies". Just remember the person on the other end of the phone line is not a mind reader but really wants to help. So be nice, but don't be afraid to be VERY SPECIFIC about your needs. And don't be surprised if you need to remind staff members about your needs (shower bench, extra pillows, portable fridge) once you arrive.

Monday, July 28, 2008

You must have money.......

OK, so I know what you are going to say. “Well you must have money to be traveling to all of those places.” No. I am not independently wealthy, a trust fund brat, or even middle class. Plain truth -- I and my wife were low paid mall employees when we decided to do our first Disneyland vacation. If you really want a trip badly enough you can find many little ways to scrounge the money. It might not be a chi-chi trip but really a room is just a place to sleep when you are not out enjoying yourself. My wife and I each tightened the belt. We started the week with $20 spending money and whatever was left at the end of the week went into a savings account -- by the time of the trip we had a good start. It wasn't always easy (there are always DVDs or books that we wanted) but we kept our eyes on the trip.

And we had a great time. We stayed off property at the Best Western on Katella (where I learned not all shower benches are created equal) that had a short walk to the IHOP (cheap breakfast that lasted until mid afternoon). We brought our own snacks from home (trail mix, granola bars, etc.) and saved tons of money on drinks by bringing refillable water bottles with filters. We also made the most of our souvenir money by choosing a few special pieces (for us, one great memento is a piece of artwork or print that we can display in our home -- daily reminders of some great trips!).

Not every trip has to be exotic or upscale. Budget trips can be every bit as fun. Or you can just start with day trips or overnight trips. Don't let there be a barrier in the way. There will always be a reason you can't do something . Try making a reason that you CAN do something.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Have Wheels Will Travel


Hi! My name is Jacob and I am starting this blog to assist and explain the joys of traveling with mobility impairments, medical conditions, and the plain old fun of being just shy of your run of the mill passenger. I have much experience in traveling domestically and have just recently dipped my toe in the international travel waters.

"What makes him the big expert in disabled travel?"

Well let me just give you a bit of information about myself. I am 33 years old and have been paralyzed and in a wheelchair since I was 12. I am married and I have a great little Dachshund (Maxie). I have done tons of domestic travel both before and after being paralyzed so I know what both sides of the coin will be going through when traveling. Whether it be a road trip to California, or a cross country flight and cruise, I (and my wife on the latter trip) have done much in learning the right questions, which websites, and who has the best reputations when it comes to accessibility. Not that all of our trips were ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. We worked around that and had great times on all of our trips.

"What is the biggest tip you can share?"

OK, in a perfect world we all would be able to do everything that we wanted. The biggest tip I can give you is this. Know your limits. If you want to ride a roller coaster know that you will have to get in, get settled and strapped in, and get out in a small amount of time. Most places do their best to give REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION. That does not mean that you will be able to do everything or experience everything. It also doesn't mean that the rest of your group should miss out if you can't do something. The trick is to find a destination that has something that you all have interest in both together and separately.

"Whats in it for you?"

I do not work for (or in) any of the places that I recommend. I get no kick backs or comps that are not already available to the general public. I am doing this because my wife and I have had the frustrations of trying to find information or secrets of traveling to new places. I want to assist people in having knowledge about a trip before you go on it. Or to know where you can find the information. After all knowledge is power!

"Where have you traveled?"

I have traveled extensively in the Pacific Northwest of the United States (day trips and extended stay trips), I have traveled to California (via ground and air), Hawaii, Florida, Oregon, Nevada, and British Columbia (Canada), St Maarten/St Martin, St Thomas, and the Bahamas. I hope to pass along secrets that I have amassed in those travels. I hope that you find this helpful and maybe a little enjoyable.

Keep your eyes peeled for pictures from past and future trips.

Enjoy!!